Pier City Cider is Ventura’s first hard cider company that opened the weekend of Summer Solstice in 2019. Pier City Cider offers some great, beachy ciders in several out-of-the-ordinary flavors.
The Inspiration for Pier City Cider
Four Brix Winery, a local winery, opened its doors in Ventura, California in 2011. Several years later, winemaker and one of the owners, Gary Stewart, began looking for gluten-free options that his wife, Karen could enjoy. His frustration with the flavors of traditional “Big Box” ciders lead him to start experimenting with making hard ciders at home. Gary wanted to create ciders that complimented Four Brix Winery. He continued experimenting with flavors until he found the perfect recipe for uniquely refreshing flavors that could be enjoyed with or without food.
Hard Cider Flavor Inspiration
Gary stated his inspiration for cider flavors comes from several sources. He often gets ideas from friends, patrons at Four Brix Winery, and drinks at bars and restaurants. One of Pier City Cider’s most popular flavors, Persimmon Lavender, was inspired when Gary had a persimmon lavender ice tea while visiting the Central Coast. Gary wanted to create ciders along the lines of a well-rounded cocktail. Because he wanted the cider flavors to have more complexity than your standard hard cider, he created flavors driven by fruits and different complimentary spices instead of the basic flavors you’ll find at your local grocery store. To this day Gary continues his journey to find new out-of-the-ordinary cider flavors.
Pier City Cider, Out-of-the Ordinary Flavors
Gary is currently working on a new cider that will be released in the next month. The following 12 flavors are currently available for purchase at Pier City Cider.
- Blackberry
- Caramel Apple
- Hibiscus
- Mango Chili Lime
- Moheto
- Mule
- Oh Mai
- Persimmon Lavender
- Pina Picante
- Rhubarb Honey
- Sour Apple
- Tamarind Ice
What Sets Pier City Ciders Apart?
Gary is extremely proud to be using fresh organic apples from Washington. Once the apples are pressed they are shipped within 24 hours and stored in stainless steel tanks. Gary is also very proud to only use natural organic extracts to flavor his ciders. Gary believes using organic apples in combination with organic natural extract gives the ciders their true flavors.
Gary’s Hopes for Pier City Cider
Gary is planning on starting distribution on a smaller scale with the hopes of being in specialty liquor stores in addition to different restaurants. He is excited to continue to create new “Seasonal Flavors” and see where the road takes Pier City Cider. Gary strives to create ciders that are “just sweet enough but not too overwhelming”.
Where to Find Pier City Cider
Currently, you can enjoy a flight of 5 cider flavors or a glass of cider at Pier City Cider located at 2290 Eastman Ave. Suite #110 in Ventura, California. For those of you who love the ciders and are ready for a short-term commitment, Pier City Cider offers a cider membership. It is a simple 1-year commitment to purchase 3 4-packs in the Spring and Fall. The great thing about the membership is you’re able to mix and match your 4-packs with any flavor you’d like. You also get complimentary tastings for up to 4 people several times throughout the year and member pricing on glasses and 4-packs. Additionally, Pier City Ciders get a 10% discount on all Four Brix Winery wine purchases. For those not quite ready to commit, 4-packs are available for purchase. Please visit https://piercitycider.com/ for additional information.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a hard cider fan or not, it is definitely worth your while to stop by Pier City Cider and taste what’s on tap. You can enjoy your ciders with the great food served at Pier City Cider or by itself. It’s a great place to enjoy food, hear live music, play a game, or just hang out with your cider. Oftentimes, you will find Gary and his wife, Karen in the tasting room. Although Gary is often busy working in the back, he is always happy to take time to answer questions. You will find that Gary is one of the nicest and most down-to-earth guys you will meet, so don’t hesitate to say “Hello” and give your suggestions for new flavors on your next visit. You can visit their website at, https://piercitycider.com/.
Gary wants his ciders to appeal to 80% of the market as he realizes you can’t please everyone.
I’d love to hear your favorite flavors and thoughts on the ciders at Pier City Cider. Also, what flavors do you think Gary should make next?
Cheers!
VC Social 